In Paris on Tuesday, April 7th, about 350 scientists gathered in front of the National Assembly to protest against a reorganization project of Santé publique France (SPF), which they describe as a “dismantling” – 350 out of the 650 employees working since 2016 to observe and analyze the health of the French population. The agency, divided into 16 regional units in France, was created following the merger of several organizations to centralize the missions of health promotion, prevention, epidemic surveillance, and health event alerts. It is based on SPF’s scientific work that the government and regions launch information and communication campaigns.
The reform proposed by the Ministry of Health speaks of a “strategic realignment.” In New Aquitaine, the SPF team, like everywhere else in the country, feels directly threatened. The team of about ten scientists, doctors, and epidemiologists based in the regional health agency of New Aquitaine in Bordeaux observes the health of 6 million inhabitants in 12 departments and responds to 140 requests from the state each year to monitor recurring or unexpected health situations.
The government’s strategy aims to streamline tasks among its operators to save money and time, focusing on using public funds more efficiently. However, the proposed reorganization is causing anxiety among scientists and public health professionals, who fear a regression in the national health surveillance system. The French Society of Public Health has expressed concerns about weakening or fragmenting the national health surveillance tool.
There is opposition from the scientific community to the government’s project, especially since it involves centralizing communication campaigns that were previously conducted by SPF. The scientists argue that SPF’s campaigns were based on statistical reality and fundamental scientific neutrality – a criterion they may not see met if the reform goes through.
Thirty years ago, the first French school in the field of public health, the Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Development (ISPED), was born in Bordeaux. The founder, Professor Roger Salamon, supports by the university and the University Hospital Center of Bordeaux, is concerned about the government’s project, as it seems to aim at maintaining more control over scientific structures. Salamon fears a possible dismantling of scientific agencies.
The situation has sparked concerns within the scientific and public health community in France, with professionals warning against weakening the national health surveillance system.
